


Mudblood

by excentrykemuse



Series: The Wicked Stepmother Verse [4]
Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: F/M, Pureblood Lily Evans Potter
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-12-12
Updated: 2018-12-12
Packaged: 2019-09-17 05:01:45
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 11,569
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16968165
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/excentrykemuse/pseuds/excentrykemuse
Summary: This was a very stupid idea.  In fact, Lily wasn’t entirely certain she wasn’t possessed.  It was really the only explanation.  That very day, her oldest friend had called her a “Mudblood.”  Why was she trusting Potter and Black with her deepest, darkest secret, then?  Oh, right.  Firewhiskey.





	Mudblood

This was a very stupid idea. In fact, Lily wasn’t entirely certain she wasn’t possessed. It was really the only explanation. That very day, her oldest friend had called her a “Mudblood.” It was true that Potter had strung him up with magic by his feet and his knickers had shown and they really did need to be washed—and Black was taunting him—but it had torn her apart. 

For a moment she had been distracted. Kingsley had been leaning up a tree, eating an apple. The girl was in Ravenclaw, a year ahead of them, and had a rather singular friendship with Sirius Black. She and Lily were also almost dead ringers for each other, except Kingsley had pale blonde hair and purple eyes. Apart from that, they could nearly be identical twins.

When she regained her equilibrium, Lily hadn’t agreed to go to Hogsmeade with Potter in exchange for Severus’s freedom, but when he found her crying, she didn’t object when Potter promised he would cheer her up.

His idea of cheering her up was bringing Black along with a bottle of firewhiskey and now the three of them were in a closet on the fifth floor taking swigs and telling silly stories.

“So, this rather nice Muggle—Mark—” she giggled “—asked me to the local dance,” she explained drunkenly—"it was in July so I was available.”

Potter looked jealous, but he stared at her with rapt attention as he handed her the firewhiskey and she took a long swig of it. 

“And then my sister—my Muggle sister—crushed this lovely boutineer he gave me. So, I just blew on it—and the flower came to life.” Lily shrugged.

Black sputtered. “You performed wandless magic?”

“Doesn’t everyone?” she asked in confusion.

Potter and Black shook their heads in unison.

Then Potter looked at her pensively. “You’re too powerful.”

She was just dragging her hand across her mouth after taking a particularly satisfying swig of firewhiskey and looked at him cross-eyed. “Beg pardon, Potter?”

“I just—you’re top of our class,” he was ticking this off his fingers, “you’re the most powerful witch NEWT-level and we only just became NEWT-level. You look nothing like your family. You look like—” Potter looked over at Sirius, a silent conversation going on between them. “Are you sure you’re not adopted?”

Something in Lily’s stomach dropped. It was her deepest secret. Her parents had never told her but she had found the adoption certificate when she was thirteen. If she hadn’t had quite so much firewhiskey, she never would have said anything. Instead, she blurted, “How did you know?” Her eyes were wide and she looked between them in absolute horror.

“Who are your parents?” Black asked cautiously.

“Er,” she muttered, running a hand through her hair. “No idea. I found the adoption certificate and it just listed me as ‘baby girl.’”

Potter looked at Black and glanced at her for a moment. “The goblins won’t test her blood unless we can prove she’s a pureblood.”

Black sighed. “The only way to do that is to get a card from The Wicked Stepmother, and then you practically have to be Sacred Twenty-Eight. I have a white card and can’t get in without a chaperone. I’d have to get someone to bring us in and sponsor us for the day. Do you think I could blackmail my cousin’s husband?”

“Who’s that?” Lily asked in curiosity.

“Lucius Malfoy,” Black admitted. “Heir Lucius Malfoy if we’re going to be all pureblood about it. I’ll write to Cissy about your tale of woe. She’s always one for a good sob story, she’ll beg Malfoy, and then next Hogsmeade weekend, we’ll sneak off to London.”

Potter giggled. “We’ll get a good dark tea out of it.”

“Shut up,” Black begged, elbowing his friend. “Deal, Evans? We’ll get to the bottom of this. We won’t even make you go out with Jamesie here.”

“Hey!” Potter exclaimed. He grabbed the firewhiskey. “At least my parents are world class potioneers. I’ll be respected there as Heir Lucius’s guest.” He said ‘Heir Lucius’ in an uppity tone, which made Lily giggle, which caused Potter to smile.

After that night, the three became silent partners in crime. Lily woke up with the worst hangover and Black slipped her a potion for it. Potter gave her the “roughest of rough drafts” of the letter to Black’s cousin so she could check the facts, and well, they agreed that they would go the night they left the Hogwarts Express. In their drunken state they had forgotten that they were completing their O.W.L.s and didn’t have any Hogsmeade weekends left.

Black was bankrolling the entire affair. He got them a room with three beds. “Sorry,” he apologized as he passed Lily in the hallway, “it’s all I can afford. I’ll keep Jamesie in line. Worse comes to worst, he’ll stare at you until you fall asleep and sigh every once in awhile.”

She rolled her eyes and went on her way.

Her last three days when she didn’t have exams, she borrowed Alice Prewett’s old robes and hemmed them to herself. They were deep purple with slashes with a teal underneath. They had bell cuffs with black sleeves that hugged her arms and a high purple collar. Black assured her, when she mentioned it, that she was to wear her hair up. 

Lily was ashamed to say she nicked some old copies of Witch Weekly.

Two nights before they were set to leave, Black snuck her out of the dormitories and they met Kingsley. 

“Right,” Black said as she handed over a camera. “You know my godsister, Lux Kingsley. Lady Lux Kingsley. I want to send this as proof that you are who I think you may be. Could you put your hair up in those strange—hairstyles—you Muggles wear.”

Lily touched her ponytail. “One of these?” she asked.

“Yes!” Lux stated, coming forward. “It will keep the hair out of our faces to show the similarities and you won’t have to struggle with a pureblood hairstyle tonight.—I thought we should smile. Without teeth.”

Feeling overwhelmed, Lily nodded and they stood against a castle wall. Black played with the camera for a moment before he took three shots and then handed the camera back to Lux. “You’ll send this out tonight?”

“Yes, Uncle Lucius will get it tonight. I grew up on stories of—” She looked at Lily longingly. “Well, wishful thinking is just that until it becomes a reality. I hope you find what you’re looking for, Evans. I hope we both do.” Impulsively, she hugged Lily, startling her, and Lily hugged her back, confused but just needing a friend.

When the three stepped off of the Hogwarts Express in wizarding robes, Lily looked at Potter, “Is this really going to work or is this a prank?”

“I swear,” he promised, taking her hand and lifting it just beneath his lips although it hovered underneath, never touching. “I want to do this for you. I never want anyone to call you a ‘Mudblood’ again. You don’t deserve that.”

His eyes looked over her shoulder and she turned around and followed his gaze to a disgruntled looking Severus Snape, who was surrounded by all of his Death Eater friends.

“He looks jealous,” Black put in helpfully as he came up, a cheerful grin on his face. “Something at least came out of this endeavor.” Black signaled them ahead and they pulled their trunks to a stately wizard with platinum blond hair and ice blue eyes. He was wearing a waistcoat of the same ice blue with vines crawling up it with an Asian collar, a flowing white shirt sleeves peeking out from under his dark green robes. 

Lily sucked in her breath. He must be related to Lux Kingsley. They had the same pointed features. The forehead just wide enough to not be insipid without dominating his face, his nose almost identical to hers although it suited his masculine face well where hers made her face oddly attractive although it was never a feminine nose, his chin jutted out slightly but she thought it was handsome on him. Without thinking about it, she touched her own chin, thinking about how they looked so alike.

He stared at her for a long moment before moving through the crowd quickly, determined to get to the three unlikely friends.

On his arm was a tall witch with golden hair and similar cheekbones to Black and the same gray eyes. 

 

“Cousin,” the beautiful witch greeted, leaving her escort to kiss Black’s cheeks. “I was so pleased to hear from you.”

“Cissy,” he greeted. “How is married life treating you?”

She smiled at him secretively. “If only I could tell you so you would understand, Cousin. Sadly, you are a bachelor and at Hogwarts. Now, introduce us.” She turned to Lily with a smile on her face and then paled. “My dear. Welcome.”

“Cissy,” Black stated solemnly, catching her gaze, “my best mate Monsieur James Potter, son of the Potter Potioneers”—Potter took her hand and lifted it beneath his lips and she nodded to him distractedly—”And our young orphan. She’s a classmate of ours. You see the similarities I wrote to you about.”

“Indeed,” she murmured. “I saw the photograph but I thought—Magic can play so many tricks and you, Sirius, always liked your pranks, but I see the evidence before my eyes. Lucius,” she said, beckoning the other wizard forward. “You see it in her chin and forehead.”

“Indeed, my darling,” he agreed, taking Lily’s hand in the same way. “And the Malfoy nose. You are most welcome today, Mademoiselle.” His eyes ate her up hungrily, but she didn’t mind. She couldn’t stop looking at him and even took a step forward before Black put a hand on her arm and she was reminded to keep calm.

“My cousins,” Black then introduced, “Heir and Heiress Lucius Malfoy.”

Lily felt nervous. “Thank you,” she murmured. “I realize this is an unusual request.” She smoothed down her robes. “I meant to keep the secret to my grave, but I’m rather afraid Black and Potter had it out of me about a week ago.”

“Sirius was always good at kneazeling out secrets,” Heiress Lucius admitted, taking her husband’s arm again, causing him to look over at her and to visibly relax. “Now, we’ll take you to The Leaky Cauldron where you can drop your trunks and then we’ll head directly to The Wicked Stepmother for a late tea. Does that meet your approval, Cousin? Monsieur Potter? Mademoiselle?”

The three looked at each other and Potter nodded for them.

“Excellent!” Heir Lucius said, picking up a cane Lily hadn’t noticed, tossing it in the air and catching it again.

It was easy enough to run their trunks up to their room, which consisted of bunkbeds for the boys and a single for her. The party of five moved into Diagon Alley and then took the turn off into Knockturn Alley. Lily felt a weight upon her and was surprised when Heiress Lucius let go of her husband and instead took her arm. “All will be well,” she promised. “You already know the worst: you’re adopted. I understand you are an incredibly powerful witch, which speaks well to your chances. And the physical resemblance suggests … But, hush,” she ran her free hand over the elaborate braids that Lily had charmed on her head. “You’re a Gryffindor. This is an adventure.”

Lily laughed.

The Wicked Stepmother was nothing more than a downtrodden sign sighing in the wind. Lily looked at it and the beaten door beneath it, but Heiress Lucius pulled her toward it and none of the wizards seemed to think it peculiar. 

The inside, however, was beautiful. Uncut planks of wood formed an uneven floor that shone with polish. Beams crisscrossed the ceiling, creating a rustic look. A curtain covered the back where quiet murmuring could be heard and there was a desk where a little wizard in a waistcoat and dark robes was sitting. He immediately stood when they entered. “Heir Lucius,” he greeted, bowing. “Heiress. Welcome. May I welcome you back to our establishment?”

“Thank you,” Heir Lucius greeted. “You know my wife’s cousin, Monsieur Sirius Black.”

“Of course,” the little wizard agreed. “All Blacks are welcome, and I am glad to see you brought a chaperone, Monsieur.” Black grimaced.

“We have a guest in Monsieur James Potter—and I wish to sponsor an orphan who does not know her name. We have high hopes for her given her near-perfect academic achievements.” He indicated Lily who stepped forward carefully, holding her head high.

The little wizard sucked in a breath. “She is undoubtedly—” he breathed. “If not for her coloring—” Was it so obvious? She did know that she looked a great deal like Lux Kingsley who was in Ravenclaw and it was obvious she was almost a copy of Heir Lucius, but she had auburn hair and green eyes. 

“You see why I wish to sponsor her,” Heir Lucius replied silkily, tearing Lily from her thoughts.

“Young lady,” the little wizard said, approaching her, “if you could produce your wand.” He stepped to the side and indicated a cone that was pointed upward at an angle. Lily took out her wand and at his instruction, placed it inside.

At first, nothing happened, and she bit her lip in worry.

Heiress Lucius came up to her and took her hand. Then the cone began to turn counter clockwise. She thought it was moving fast at first, but then it got faster and faster until Lily couldn’t tell it was moving except for the one imperfection in the wood that was spinning almost too quickly for her to register. Feeling quite dizzy, Lily nonetheless couldn’t look away and she stared until, all of a sudden, it stopped. 

Immediately, she looked at the little wizard, who was holding a string of parchment that had been spit out at the base of the cone. His yellow eyes widened and he looked up at her and then at Heir Lucius. “Mademoiselle,” he breathed. “You have a black card.”

There was an intake of breath from all of her companions, but Lily frankly did not understand.

Heiress Lucius clenched her hand and leaned in to whisper in her ear. “The darker the card, the darker the magic. You have black magic, my dear. It is quite rare.”

She nodded in shock. “Does this mean I’m a pureblood? That my actual parents were—wizards?”

“Undoubtedly, Mademoiselle,” Heir Lucius responded, and he paused for the slightest of moments. “You’ve just proven that your lineage goes back at least six generations. I must congratulate you. Now, man, can we just put ‘Mademoiselle’ on her card until we learn her identity?”

The little wizard looked up from the tickertape, as if from a daze. “I must inform—you must realize—” His voice trailed off. “If I could have a given name, just to identify her. I realize she does not yet have a wizard name.”

“Lily,” she murmured. “Like the flower.”

Heir and Heiress Lucius shared a look at the name, as if they recognized it. However, they said nothing, only turning once again to the three of them.

“A suitable name for a witch,” Heiress Lucius complimented. “My own name is Narcissa.”

Heir Lucius had moved toward the little wizard and he spoke quietly, but somehow Lily still heard him although she could see Black and Potter whispering to each other. “Yes,” Heir Lucius murmured. “Inform him. The Dark Lord will be most pleased.”

She was in such shock that the words did not quite register and, after being told that her card would be ready after her tea, she moved into the tea room where the five sat and soon relaxed as Narcissa served them and they ate millionaire’s shortbread and various other sweets. 

“Now,” Narcissa said as she sat back after a good half an hour of gaiety. “I thought we could go at half nine to Gringotts with your card, Mademoiselle Lily. The Leaky Cauldron will hold your trunk. When do your Muggle guardians come to pick you up?”

“Noon,” she answered. “Black thought that would work and I didn’t want to put them off too long—”

“Quite,” Heir Lucius stated, his voice dark. “We can have an early lunch at the Cauldron, though you will most likely be dressed for the outside world, unfortunately. Narcissa, dear, we simply must have Mademoiselle over for tea next week. We can send her a portkey as she probably does not have a floo.”

“Indeed,” Narcissa agreed. “Now, tell me how you are friends with my wayward cousin.”

At this, Black, Potter, and Lily broke out into laughter, much to the confusion of their hosts, who eventually learned that they had made a pact after Lily had been called a “Mudblood” to learn the truth of her parentage. They left out about the firewhiskey. Black didn’t mind Narcissa knowing, but was a little awed of her husband. Potter didn’t want it getting back to his parents. Lily was desperate to keep her new friend, who was the only other witch who knew vaguely who she really was.

Lily kicked Potter and Black out of the room while she got changed for the night. She brushed her hair out on her bed, her back turned, while they changed, and the three couldn’t help but run through everything that happened. 

“You’ll have a new name,” Black stated cautiously. “We never talked about it before, but are you sure you’re ready for it?”

“I’ve always been ‘Lily’,” she admitted. “But—I don’t know how to explain it, Black. When I was a child I always knew I was different, that I wasn’t a Muggle even though I didn’t know what magic was. I’ve known for years that I wasn’t Lily. I’m someone else. Maybe my magical parents are dead and I’ll have to live with that. I’ll have a card to The Wicked Stepmother and have friends who wouldn’t look at me before, but nothing else may change. However, maybe everything will be different. Neither you nor Potter have pranked me since I told you I was adopted. Potter hasn’t asked me to Hogsmeade once.”

“I can’t,” Potter admitted. “If you’re a pureblood—which you are—I can’t date you. I have to court you.”

That didn’t make any sense to Lily, but she let it slide.

“We shouldn’t even be sharing a room,” Potter admitted. “This is our last night of freedom.”

“Truce?” Black suggested. “We are pranksters but we’ll always take your feelings into account as a pureblood lady and as an ally, and you’ll accept us for who we are.”

Potter looked over at her from the top bunk, his eyes a little blurry as his glasses were set aside somewhere.

“Truce,” Lily concurred. “Nothing too horrible to Severus even though we’re no longer friends.—I think I was the only thing holding him back from being a Death Eater. That’s frightening. Severus. A Death Eater.”

“Regulus,” Black admitted, “is going to be a Death Eater. I feel it in my bones.”

“I’m sorry, Padfoot,” Potter sighed, using the nicknames Lily had occasionally heard from the four friends.

“What is that all about? Padfoot? Worm-something?”

“We’ll tell you later,” Potter laughed. “One step at a time.”

“Well,” Lily yawned. “I’m terrified for tomorrow, so I’m going to try to get some sleep. Everyone seems to know what family I belong to except me—I’m just going to have to freak myself out.”

There was a long pause. “You’re a Malfoy,” Black admitted. “It’s obvious. Surely you’ve noticed. If you gave yourself gray eyes and platinum blonde hair, you’d be the quintessential Malfoy. Lux Kingsley is Heir Lucius’s niece and you see how much they look like each other.”

Tears formed in her eyes. She wasn’t quite sure why, but they did nonetheless. Lily was frightened. She wanted her best friend—but she had lost Severus, perhaps forever. If only Tuney had been a true sister to her, instead of thinking that she was a “Freak” and hating her for her magic. 

Tuney wasn’t her sister though. She never had been. It was all a lie.

With that thought, she fell into slumber, and with that same thought she opened her eyes to find Black staring right back at her. 

“What time is it?”

“Early,” he admitted. “You were crying in your sleep, Evans.”

“Don’t call me that,” she begged. “I’m not an Evans. I think we’ve established that.”

“Mademoiselle then,” he decided. “You may not be a Lily either.” He gave out a soft bark-like laugh. “I think Jamesie is still asleep.”

“No,” Potter disagreed from the top bunk, moving onto his back. “What time is it?”

Lily reached for the clock between the two beds. “Seven-twenty. If we get ready now, we’ll definitely have time for breakfast before our nine thirty appointment.”

“Backs to each other,” Black decided. “I’m not waiting in the hall while you primp as a pureblood female, Mademoiselle. I have a mother. I have cousins.”

“Just for the corset and skirt,” she begged. “Ten minutes, tops.”

“Ten minutes,” Potter agreed, staring down at Black, his glasses now on.

It took her less than that. She had to tell Black several times to stop changing in view of her mirror as she did her hair. The trio had plenty of time for breakfast and met a beautiful Narcissa and her well-dressed husband right on time.

The five of them crowded into a goblin’s office and Lily slid her card onto the desk to prove who she was. 

He picked it up with spindly fingers. “You don’t have your adoption certificate,” he checked.

“No,” she breathed. “I’ve seen it. It’s in a trunk in the attic of the house where I live. I’m afraid it would be rather—suspicious—”

The goblin held up his spindly finger and then his hand darted out, grabbing her left hand. A piece of parchment was placed on the desk and then a thick needle was pressed into her left thumb. Lily was so startled, she cried out, and she felt Potter come up behind her and grasp her waist to steady her. The goblin turned her hand roughly over and she breathed out as the blood dripped out onto the parchment.

At first they were just drops. Then, in a delicate cursive, words began to form: Lily Rachelle Evans.

Still, the blood dripped over the words. Lily held her breath and she could feel James behind her. 

“Wait,” Narcissa breathed, and Lily did just that.

Then words began to form, larger, and above the name that she had held for all these past years: Stefica Lillianne Malfoy.

“Oh, Lucius,” Narcissa breathed. “She is your sister. She’s come home.”

“However did—you just disappeared when I was eight and no one knew why—” His usually strong voice sounded heartbroken, and Lily looked back at him, her green eyes full of the same hurt that his were showing.

Blood, however, was still dripping from her finger. A line formed above her name and branched off to form two names. The first began with an A. 

“Abraxas,” Lucius supplied, “our father.”

“Abraxas Malfoy” formed and the tree quickly filled out with the name of a Proserpina and two children, Madeline and Lucius, but they seemed to be unconnected to Lily—to Stefica. 

“Your sister Madeline is old enough to be your mother!” Black sniggered.

“This is my life, Black!” Lily exclaimed a little hysterically as she watched another name form. Sabrina Nott. This was her mother, the second wife of Abraxas Malfoy.

Her hand was roughly turned over and she stumbled backward as she cradled her hand to herself. Someone guided her to a chair, and she just stared at the parchment. “Why is the line strange?” she asked.

Heir Lucius leaned over. “It’s because you’re the product of a second marriage and the lines cross each other,” he admitted. “It’s nothing irregular.”

She slumped. 

“You are the youngest Malfoy,” Narcissa told her, coming up to her and grasping her into a gentle hug. “You’re my sister in everything but blood, dearest. Do call me ‘Narcissa.’ I’m not going to let you go home with those Muggles today. You belong with us at your ancestral home. I know Lucius will allow nothing less.”

Heir Lucius, strangely, didn’t seem the least bit surprised now that the process was finished. “You’re never going near those Muggles again,” he swore darkly, “and I will be getting to the bottom of this. You and Stepmother Sabrina went missing the same night—whatever happened… I cannot even think of a positive scenario.”

James Potter regarded him coolly but stood next to Lily, a hand on her shoulder.

Duplicates were made of the blood chart, which was certified by the goblins, and Lily learned that she was the daughter of the dying Lord Malfoy, making her—incidentally enough—Lady Stefica.

“I don’t feel like an Stefica,” she admitted over lunch. Heir Lucius had gone with her black card back to The Wicked Stepmother with a copy of her blood chart to get her a correctly labeled card. “Should I feel like an Stefica?”

“It will take time,” Potter admitted to her, still in wizarding robes. They were all in wizarding robes and in an exclusive restaurant called The White Witch, made out of a single sheet of wizard glass. “I don’t know what I would do if I were suddenly a Xerxes or something of the like.” His hazel eyes looked imploringly at her and she stared back, wondering when he had become so kind. Usually he had been so arrogant, but not over the past few days, the past week really. It was so strange.

She had flooed away to Malfoy Manor by the time the Evanses were meant to pick her up. Narcissa didn’t want her to have to deal with them. Lucius—her brother—was to play the part of avenging angel. When she was told that evening she had a visitor, she had expected it to be—Lux Kingsley, perhaps. Although a year older, Lux was her niece. However, it was someone else entirely.

Lily was still wearing her deep purple robes, her hair in the same braids she had worn the day before, purple eyeshadow on her eyes and a deep crimson color on her lips. Her nails should have been painted, but she had never been good at painting her nails and hadn’t been able to convince Sage Brown to lend her the dark green for the outfit.

He was standing at the window. He was tall, not too tall, but tall enough. His hair was a beautiful deep brown with hints of auburn. His skin was a healthy peach, his shoulders broad and covered by a flowing white shirt. He was wearing a deep red and black waistcoat that matched his trousers that were tailored to perfection. Lily was ashamed to admit to herself that she checked out his arse and the way the fabric clung to his toned legs. 

A storm was raging outside now that they were in Wiltshire and a crack of lightening briefly illuminated the room.

She closed the door behind her but the figure didn’t move.

“I hope you arrived by floo or Apparition,” she greeted, “otherwise you’re going to get very wet.”

“Lady Stefica,” he greeted, turning to show her a strong and thin nose, defined eyebrows, and a firm forehead. Her breath caught. Lily had no idea who he was, but he was the handsomest man she had ever seen, wizard or Muggle, and she wanted nothing more than to go to him. His words, however, drew her back to herself. “You indeed look the part of a Malfoy.”

Lily couldn’t help but blush. “I am afraid that I am used to being a member of a—character forming—family, and now find that every Malfoy I meet is better looking than the last. It is strange to be one of them, albeit with hair as strikingly different as mine.”

“I daresay you will learn to take the compliment,” he murmured, his hands behind his back. “You are indeed pureblood loveliness itself. I do not know how you spent so many years in Mudblood obscurity.”

When she paled, he continued:

“Forgive me. I heard of the incident with that sorry excuse for a wizard. The word must bring you pain.”

She took a deep breath, peaking a look at his bluer than blue eyes, allowing them to center her. “Are you a friend of Lucius?”

“In a way,” he agreed, moving toward the chairs in the center of the room. “I was most pleased to hear of your black card last night—before we even knew who exactly you were, Lady Stefica.”

Starting, Lily looked at him. “You’re the Dark Lord. It’s just—I heard it mentioned that you would like to know--” She bit her lip and turned to look out the window, suddenly overwhelmed and, yes, a little bit shy under his intense gaze. “I’m nothing important.”

“I beg to differ,” he disagreed, crossing his legs. “I looked you up, Lily Rachelle Evans. Prefect. You’re expected to receive O’s on most if not all of your O.W.L.s. You’re a shoo-in for Head Girl. You have a propensity for the blackest of dark magic. You have perfect pedigree.”

“I’m just a fairytale,” she reminded him. “The name of a lost child.”

He shrugged. “You carry the name ‘Stefica Malfoy.’ Goblin magic proves that you are this child, that you are living the fairy story and that it has hardly ended yet. Songs will be written in your honor, of that I have no doubt, of the stolen daughter of one of the four Lords.”

Not wanting to appear ignorant, she nonetheless admitted, “I don’t quite understand the four Lords.”

The Dark Lord looked at her for a long moment before indicating the table between them. On it was a package wrapped in brown paper. “Spungen’s Guide to Pureblood Dynasties, c.1500-present,” he quoted. “It will teach you everything you need to know about pureblood etiquette and about the Malfoy family. While I know that this Manor probably has several copies, this is one for you to make notes in, to keep with you when you need to reference some aspect of pureblood culture. It is my gift to you, one black card to another.”

Her head snapped up. “Of course,” she murmured. “I should have realized.—Thank you, Dark Lord.” She ran her hand over the package, turning it slightly toward her in her curiosity, before leaving it to rest on the table.

There was a pause in the conversation, where the two observed the other.

Finally, it was the Dark Lord who spoke. “I should like you to be taught in the ways of the dark,” he admitted, his eyes flickering to her lips, exciting Lily despite herself. “You have great—“ his gaze now moved to her green eyes; the Dark Lord’s voice a husky whisper “—potential. Your brother’s sister-in-law, Bellatrix Lestrange, for instance, has shown a great propensity for dark curses which I have been able to cultivate.”

“I’m not sure I have the heart—”

“You have the heart,” he argued quietly, “your card proves it.” The Dark Lord hesitated and placed his hand over hers, creating a frisson of magic between her that caused her breath to hitch. “You have the desire. Perhaps not curses for you. Tell me, what are your favorite subjects? What do you excel at, Lady Stefica?”

She started at the name, but nonetheless answered. “I—well, charms and potions.”

“Let me have one of my followers tutor you. I will not force you to become a Death Eater as I would others—just that we have an understanding, a friendship.”

“My allegiance, you mean,” Lily clarified.

The Dark Lord inclined his head.

Looking off to the side, she glanced out the window. “You realize, Dark Lord,” she tried to explain, “this time yesterday I thought that I very well might be a Muggleborn, that my family were Muggles. You stand against the very idea of such people.”

He leaned forward and caught her green gaze with his bright blue one. “That is not quite correct, Lady Stefica. I wish to preserve our culture. It is being eroded by Muggle influences. This is often displayed as a hatred of Mudbloods, a sense of superiority toward Muggles, and my followers act on this hatred.”

Taking her lead from him, she leaned forward, letting her eyes dip to his lips for just the briefest of moments. “Then what would you have with charms and potions?”

“Healing perhaps,” he murmured, standing and coming to sit beside her. She sat up and tilted her head so she was looking directly into his eyes. “I would have you defend yourself, fight if you were inclined when the battle became desperate on the backward charge.” His eyes dipped downward and her breath caught. “You would be magnificent in battle, with a sheath of auburn hair, I am certain,” he breathed, his right hand coming up and hovering over her cheek.

Lily turned away from him, her face briefly touching his fingers that slid against her cheek and she stood, walking away. Her fingers played with each other in her agitation. “I can’t imagine,” she admitted, “being in league with Severus Snape and his Death Eater friends. They’re horrible. Lucius is curtesy and intelligence itself, but the others are—thugs.”

The Dark Lord looked at where she had been sitting, his hand grasping the back of her empty chair. He turned to look at her pacing frame. “The name sounds familiar. I suppose I am courting him. Who is this Severus Snape?”

“My oldest friend,” she admitted. “He’s in Slytherin. He called me a “Mudblood” when I tried to help him when he was being pranked—rather badly. That’s how all this happened. James Potter, who rather fancies me, and Sirius Black were the ones who humiliated him—and when he called me—that—they found me crying and comforted me. When they learned I was adopted, they set this all in motion for me.” Lily swallowed. “Who would have thought that I would have ended up in a mansion speaking with the Dark Lord, with the promise of new robes and teas even though I don’t have a knut to my name?” She sat down heavily again.

His hand was still grasping the chair behind her and he looked at her. “Did this Severus Snape know you weren’t a Mudblood?” he asked carefully.

She looked down at her hands and shook her head.

“And yet you share a great resemblance with Lucius Malfoy,” the Dark Lord reasoned, “and I understand he has a niece or a cousin at Hogwarts.—This Severus Snape will not go unpunished.”

Her head snapped up. “What are you going to do?”

“Nothing too severe,” he promised. “Just teach him a lesson.” He grinned at her. “Now, to your other concerns. You think my servants are horrible.”

“They hate what I was,” she agreed.

“But you were never that. Shouldn’t you hate it as well?” he reasoned. “It was all a lie imposed on you. They did that to you. They made you inferior, Lady Stefica. Doesn’t that frighten you? Anger you?”

Lily sighed. “It confuses me.”

The Dark Lord nodded. “Then let me help enlighten you. Let me teach you. Allies, Lady Stefica. Let your brother help guide you, as well. His father is a great friend of mine. Lord Malfoy confided in me, before he fell ill, that Lucius had written into his marriage contract that his eldest daughter would be named Stefica—after you. You were never forgotten, Lady Stefica, not by Heir Lucius, the brother who always should have been there for you.”

She turned to him and looked into his eyes, their faces so close. “I—” Words failed her as she just continued to look into his gorgeous blue eyes.

“Don’t tempt me,” the Dark Lord breathed. Confused, she searched his gaze and then he crashed his lips against hers and she breathed in in shock. This was her first kiss. And it was with the Dark Lord. But wasn’t it just heavenly? As she succumbed to the feel of his lips on hers, she felt his fingers flutter along her jawline and she sighed, only to feel him pull away.

Her eyes were shut for several long moments until she felt his hand come up again and cradle her jaw. She blinked several times and gave him a small smile as she blushed. His thumb stroked her cheek and he leaned forward and kissed her nose. “You are so beautiful. Let me teach you. Let me help you.”

“Do you seduce all prospective students?” she asked wryly, hurt creeping into her voice.

“No,” he stated emphatically. “I usually allow my followers to promise, cajole, threaten. No, I had to come see my black card, especially Abraxas’s daughter.” His hand ran over her braids and he looked up and then let his eyes run down over her face. “My beautiful black card.” Leaning down, he kissed her briefly and she leaned up against him when he released her, hearing her heart beat. They rested like that as the storm raged on outside until there was a knock on the door. Lily carefully sat up and the Dark Lord brushed her cheek with the back of her fingers before standing and going to the window.

“Come in,” he commanded, and Narcissa stood in the door.

“Forgive me. Dinner is ready. You are most welcome to join us, my lord.”

“Thank you, Heiress. I’m afraid my evening is spoken for. If I may have leave to visit Lady Stefica again? She needs more persuading. I’ve rather startled her with my offer of tutelage.”

Narcissa looked at Lily briefly before smiling. “You are always welcome, Dark Lord.”

He turned to glance at Lily, who met his gaze head on, and then he left with brisk strides. 

Lily immediately got to her feet and shut the door. Looking at her cousin, she breathed in wonder, “He kissed me.”

“The Dark Lord?”

“Yes,” Lily agreed. “I’ve never been kissed. Is it always so wonderful?”

Narcissa came up and took her hands and held them firmly. “When it is with the right person. I was kissed once by this absolute scoundrel and it was quite dreadful. However, with Lucius—well, you understand.” Narcissa gave her a sly smile. “And the Dark Lord wants to come back. I’ll speak with my husband about protocol. One doesn’t lecture the Dark Lord about responsibilities and I daresay Lucius will be protective of you, but the Dark Lord rules part of the wizarding world with an iron fist.”

Lily’s face fell. “I am worried about this.”

Tilting Lily’s chin up with her fingers, Narcissa smiled at her slyly. “The Dark Lord is a man with eyes. He understands beauty. He understands lineage. He understands power. You are unparalleled, Stefica. Any man, including the Dark Lord, would be a fool not to want you.”

The two cousins giggled suddenly and then left the room for dinner.

Lily was quite surprised when Narcissa actually brought it up at dinner. “Lucius,” she began, cutting up her honeyed ham. “Stefica has a suitor. He hasn’t exactly declared himself to me—but he kissed her—”

“Who?” he demanded, setting down his utensils. “He should not have kissed you, sister. This will not go unanswered. I won’t have men thinking you have an uncaring family because you were stolen for fourteen years and your father is in ill health.”

She swallowed at the burning look in his eyes.

Heir Lucius looked at his wife. “Who is it who has defamed the House of Malfoy?”

“The Dark Lord,” she answered simply, and he went quite pale.

“That changes things.” Although nothing changed in his appearance, he seemed slightly disquieted and took a sip of his wine, pondering for a moment before regarding Lily as if she were a puzzle he couldn’t quite master.

“Doesn’t it just?” Narcissa agreed. “Still, we must do our best for Stefica. She doesn’t quite understand the role of courtship. I swear that Potter boy who was helping her wants to court her, although she would be the perfect Black asset.”

“You will confuse my sister, Narcissa. She’s been with us a matter of hours and you’re planning her marriage to your younger cousin if her romance with the Dark Lord does not come to fruition.” He smiled at his wife kindly who was sitting across from him at the dining table, each at the head of the table. Lily was sitting halfway between them.

“James Potter,” Lily inserted and both Lucius and Narcissa gave her their attention. “James Potter was the other boy with us. He’s been trying to date me for years,” Lily added. “With this whole adoption revelation, he finally stopped asking me to Hogsmeade.”

“As well he should,” Lucius agreed. “Has the Dark Lord made any reference to—an inclination—?”

“He wants to see her again, to woo her to his side, apparently,” Narcissa explained.

“Ah.” It was clear that Lucius was not amused, and probably wished it weren’t quite so vague.

He was further not amused when he greeted Lily and Narcissa when they got home from shopping. Lily now had ten pairs of robes, more pureblood black than she knew what to do with, and magical make up. Narcissa assured her that she wasn’t a charity case. She was Lady Stefica Lillianne Malfoy. She even had monogrammed bags and hoods with a new trunk with the name Malfoy emblazoned on it.

Lucius came into her suite, where she was arranging her things with the help of Narcissa and a house elf, a stern look on his face. “Stefica,” he breathed, but she didn’t hear him. Instead, she was trying on a deep purple lipstick that was charmed against running or rubbing off.

“This is not an invitation to kiss the Dark Lord,” Narcissa was explaining. “Just because it’s kiss proof doesn’t mean you can kiss the most powerful wizard in England.”

Lily looked up at her with large eyes.

“Stefica,” Lucius said louder, and the two women looked at him. “I need to speak to you—it’s about Stepmother Sabrina.”

It took Lily a moment to realize he was referring to her birth mother and she quickly put down the tube of lipstick and nodded. “Of-of course, Lucius. Should we—it’s quite comfortable—” she looked around the room in confusion.

Hearing the whisper of silks and the sound of doors closing, Lily looked up from her perusal of the room to see she was alone with a brother she barely knew. Regarding him, she was surprised once again how much they looked like one another. “I know you were raised with Lux,” she murmured, “but I think I should have liked to have had a brother.”

His face immediately softened. “You do have a brother,” he promised. “You’re my darling little sister. I’m waiting for Hogwarts to send over your records. From Sirius’s letter, I know you’re prefect, like I was. I couldn’t be prouder. I’m only sorry Father is so ill he’s unable to see that his youngest has finally come home.”

He cupped her cheek and then led her to the settee in her sitting room. “It is best if I just say it—I found Lady Malfoy, not that she will carry the title for much longer.”

“Was she taken?”

“She ran away. She’s having an affair with a Muggle. He’s quite wealthy. He plays poker internationally.”

Lily sat there and just stared at him in shock. “My mother is Aunt Sabby? I always assumed I got my hair and eyes from her, and I looked more like her than anyone, but she sends postcards and photographs from across the world. I think I last saw her when I was twelve! She asked me where I was going to school and then when I told her Scotland, she replied that it was a ‘boring’ country but that I’d find a husband there!” 

Breathing heavily, Lily was lost in a rage of thoughts, one coming faster than the next, when Lucius placed his hands on her upper arms. “I will find the connection between her and the Evanses, Lily. I just need a little more time.”

“She was there,” Lily whispered, “the whole time. Watching. Why didn’t she just leave me with you?” She looked up quickly and was glad for once that purebloods wore their hair on top of their heads in elaborate hairstyles so that she didn’t have to brush it out of her eyes as she normally would have.

“I don’t know. Stepmother Sabrina was never emotive and left me to house elves exclusively, even though I was the heir.” He tugged Lily toward him until she was silently crying against his shoulder. “You’re home now, Stef. Safe and at home.” 

She didn’t know how long she cried, but when she woke up, she was lying on the bed with her shoes off, a blanket draped over her. Her lipstick hadn’t even smudged.

Strangely, Lily, Potter, and Black had become chums. They met in Diagon Alley a fortnight after the end of term and Lily was in pureblood black, not wanting to dress in robes. She didn’t think they’d be going to The Wicked Stepmother anyway.

“I can’t call you Malfoy,” Black announced as soon as he sat down next to her in Florean Fortescue’s. “It’s just too strange.”

“Stefica, then,” she suggested. “And I’ll call you Sirius. Aren’t we cousins—sort of?” His cousin Narcissa was, after all, her sister-in-law.

He shrugged. “I suppose that works. How’s old Lucius?”

“He’s acting head of the family. Father is in St. Mungo’s and he’s so contagious I can’t visit him. I stay at Malfoy Manor with Narcissa mostly.”

Sirius whistled. “There’s something. Half of England will be jealous of you. That house! The clothes they’ll put you in!”

Lily looked elsewhere, a little embarrassed. “It’s strange to believe we’re cousins—through marriage.” She glanced back at him. “You know, Severus writes me once a day.”

“Snivellus,” he sneered.

“Well, I can’t read them. I don’t know if he’s insulting me,” she told him honestly. Potter had come up and taken the third seat. “You two get to skim his letters and tell me what on earth he is saying.”

Sirius looked at his friend. “She’s Stefica now and I’m Sirius. That makes you James. I guess we help the lady—”

“I’ll help you,” James promised as she took out a packet of letters from her bag and handed them out. James ruffled his hair to make it look windswept. Lily tried not to roll her eyes at the typical gesture. 

“It’s not like I can ask Narcissa to read them.”

“Probably not,” James agreed, opening a letter and skimming it. “I can’t imagine her reading a greasy half-blood’s mail. Oh. My. God. He’s just professed his undying love for you.”

Lily rolled her eyes. “No, he hasn’t.”

“Yes, he has,” James affirmed, handing over the letter. “Third paragraph.”

She took the letter and skimmed down. Her eyes widened. “Well, this will never hold. Heir Lucius Malfoy is my guardian. And brother. Brother and guardian. This is a mess.” Folding it up, she set it aside. “Do I have to write back? I have to write back.” She nodded. “I have no idea what to say.”

“Say you’re in love with Jamesie,” Sirius suggested. He looked at her a little too long, however.

Lily looked over to an overconfident looking James. “I’m not in love with him, though. I honestly don’t think I’m in love with anybody.” Her mind, however, did turn to the Dark Lord, to how good he looked in those trousers, to the feel of his lips against hers. She shook herself out of those thoughts quickly and noticed that Sirius was grinning at her.

“Who is it?”

“Pardon?”

“Keep your secrets then.” Sirius looked nonplussed as he went back to a letter. “He hates you in this one.”

Throwing her head back, Lily could only sigh.

The two wizards made three piles. Love; Hate; Ambiguous. Then the three went for ice cream. James went for Merman’s Seaweed, Sirius for Chocolate as his mother wouldn’t let his House Elf buy anything so plebian, and Lily for Fairy Lavender which was a pure lilac color.

“Don’t answer,” James advised. “I mean, he’s all over the place. I mean, you could always send him a note before you’re announced in The Prophet as having been found, asking him not to contact you. That might be best. Padfoot?”

Sirius looked at Lily and the letters. “That might be better. When is old Lucius placing it in?”

“It will be by Friday.” (Lucius wanted to speak to the Dark Lord first; he didn’t want to find her and then have to hide her.) “They want to catch the Friday press.” It was Tuesday.

“Send it by tomorrow,” Sirius said sagely. “Give him time to digest. Sign it ‘SLM’,” he added gleefully. “That will confuse him given the three letters asking you why you’re not in Cokeworth.—I love the bit where he accuses you of dating Jamesie and visiting him and his parents and that’s why you were wearing robes on the Platform!”

“He’s paranoid,” James put in. “As much as I would love Lily-flower to come visit, I would never wear robes home. We also clearly didn’t meet my parents.” He rolled his eyes. “So, what’s on the agenda?”

Lily reached into her pocket and took out a small piece of paper. “I think I want a cat. Mum wouldn’t allow it before, but Lucius assured me that I could have one—or an owl, but school owls have always suited. There is this series of magical novels about Arthurian Legends that I wanted to start. This book on courting—”

“I knew it!” Sirius exclaimed. “Who is he? One of old Lucius’s friends?”

She couldn’t help but blush and avoid James’s gaze. “Just keeping up with the Joneses.”

“I have no idea what that means,” Sirius admitted, finishing off his ice cream. “All set? Let’s get you the most annoying cat so it will annoy Morag McDougall.”

Lily disappeared the letters into her designer bag and they headed to the Magical Menagerie.

“Only you would buy a lame cat,” Sirius griped as they went through Flourish and Blotts. “Mum will have you over next week, by the way. Cissy has kept this close to the chest, but once you’re announced, the Blacks will welcome you with open arms. She’s mad by the way.”

“Oh. Mad as in—”

“Mad,” James agreed, shivering. 

James had to leave before lunch, something about helping his parents with a particularly nasty plant, and Sirius invited Lily to the Leaky Cauldron. She set down her package of books and her carrier case for her cat Donald. 

“I thought you’d like a bit of normalcy,” he suggested, although they were clearly dressed as wizarding youth. “Look, Stefica—”

She glanced over at him.

“Jamesie is my best mate.”

Lily looked at him as she clearly knew that.

“I would have debunked to the Potters by now if it hadn’t been discovered you were a Malfoy. Home life is horrible. I don’t like old Lucius, but I know he and Cissy are happy and Cissy has always been a good sort. She’ll be a good older sister to you, a good friend, and Lucius would do anything for her. He’ll protect you from the Dark Lord even.” He seemed so earnest.

Trying not to snort at the last part, she looked at him attentively. “Black—Sirius,” she amended. “I don’t see what I have to do with your family?”

“That’s just it. Jamesie is my best mate and I know I’m a bit of a rake, but I’ve fancied you since fourth year—and I won’t get cursed by my damn mother for mentioning your name now. And you’re never going to give James the time of day.”

She leaned away from him in horror. “Sirius—James will kill you.”

“Probably,” he agreed, grinning roguishly. “Just think about it.”

Their meals fortunately came and conversation turned to awkward declarations of love in letters that unfortunately would be immortalized forever. 

Lily returned to the manor and immediately found Narcissa. She was with a woman who had a strong jaw, hooded eyes, and brooding good looks. Her hair was dark and curly like Sirius’s and—she had to be a relation. 

She paused. “You look like Sirius,” she greeted in shock. “Pardon, that was impolite. It was just a shock since I just left him. Good day, Narcissa. When you have a moment. Nothing important.”

Narcissa smiled at her. “Bella,” she said, turning to the other woman, “my husband’s younger sister, Lady Stefica Malfoy. Stefica, this is my older sister, Madam Bellatrix Lestrange. I thought you might like to meet another Black, and—if I may be indiscrete—the Dark Lord offered Bella tutelage which she found most rewarding.”

“Oh,” she stated, hovering by the door, but she came and took a chair when Narcissa poured a cup of tea. “Curses, right? Is—” she lowered her voice although there was no one to hear “dark magic really as intoxicating as the Slytherins say?”

Bella released a dark, wondrous laugh. “It is, cousin. It’s addicting at first. That’s why it’s so important to have a tutor, to help you through the initial addiction so you can master it. What has the Dark Lord offered you?”

Lily took a sip of her rose tea for a moment. “Charms and Potions. Those are my two specialties at Hogwarts. He said since I don’t fancy fighting that I might be useful in healing. I had actually considered the profession, but Professor McGonagall had told me that since I was a Muggleborn that I wouldn’t advance in the field if I were even accepted.”

Tossing her hair, which was loose despite pureblood fashion, Bella looked at her. “Mudblood?” she spat. “What is this?—Cissy!”

“Lady Stefica’s mother abducted her when she was two. We’ve had her back for a fortnight, Bella.” She placed a hand on her sister’s arm. “It’s undisputed that she’s Lady Stefica Malfoy. Goblin Magic.”

Nodding, Bella took a sip of her tea. “It’s clear you’re a Malfoy. I don’t know what that old fool was thinking if it was Dumbledore, or is he Headmaster now? I don’t believe we’ve had a healer in at least the Black family, but dark healing…” Her voice trailed off as she pondered it for a moment. “A noble profession, indeed. Do you not agree, Cissy?” She turned to her sister.

“Indeed,” she agreed. “I hadn’t considered. I was wrapped up in the announcement of Stefica to society. I fear I rather neglected my duties.” She blushed in shame.

“It’s been twelve days,” Lily objected. “I’m taking a break from it all. My O.W.L. results won’t be released for another fortnight or so. I’ve had a declaration of love today and a declaration of—something. Both are confusing me.”

Bellatrix moved forwards. “Dear Stefica,” she cajoled, “I know you don’t know me, but I’m a Black sister. You’re one of us now. Suitors are always a topic of interest. I am the soul of discretion. I shan’t even tell my husband.”

“Indeed,” Narcissa agreed. “You’re one of the sisterhood now. We can’t gossip about our own beaus now as we’re both married.”

“Well,” Lily began cautiously. “Severus Snape has been writing to me since he called me a “Mudblood.” Sometimes he hates me, sometimes he loves me—and he used that word. I had James Potter and Sirius Black read his letters because I didn’t want to. It’s definitely in there.”

Looking at her sister, Bellatrix raised her eyebrow. “Snape?”

“Half-blood. Slytherin. He’s being courted by the Dark Lord, but the Dark Lord’s promised to punish him for the slur against my heritage.” Lily sighed. That was another problem. 

Sensing her thoughts, perhaps, Narcissa probed, “And the other?”

“It’s so strange,” she admitted. “He said he’s fancied me since fourth year and yet he never told me until today. James Potter is his best mate and James has openly pursued me since third year, and now Sirius Black said he’s not debunking to the Potters as he can now openly say he fancies me without being cursed.”

“Eminently suitable,” Bellatrix told her. “He’s heir to Lord Black.” Unfortunately, Lily knew what that meant since she’d been given Spungen’s. She’d read the book cover to cover. 

“He’s a rake and a prankster,” she argued. “Sirius even called himself a rake!”

“A rake who wrote me a long letter before term ended about this poor maiden who had been adopted by Muggles away from wizards and clearly had no idea who she was, and could I please help her because he just might marry the girl—and, as a bonus, she looked like his godsister,” Narcissa confessed. At Lily’s confused look, Narcissa added, “Lux Kingsley.—you and Sirius are not related by blood. However, there is your other suitor although he hasn’t made his exact intentions known.”

When Bellatrix showed obvious interest, Narcissa added, “I must keep this one as close as a lelthifold for now. You’ll be the first to know, Bella.”

“Good. I was the last to know about Dromeda.”

Lily looked between them. “Who?”

Bellatrix sniffed and pushed her wild hair away from her face. “Our sister. Ran away with a Mudblood. She’s anathema.”

That put a pall over the three women.

Writing the letter to Snape was difficult. It was finally just a line. All that was needed to be said, was said. Goodbye, Severus. –SLM.

As she was folding the parchment, a hand alighted on her shoulder. She looked over at it, confused, and followed up an arm in a billowing deep maroon sleeve and deep blue waistcoat. The familiar features of the Dark Lord hovered above her and she smiled. “Hello,” she murmured. Lily glanced at the door, which was closed. Leaning her chin up, he obliged her by kissing her in greeting. 

“Your brother wants to see me,” he informed her.

“Lucius?” she asked as he led her to a settee. “I told Narcissa that you kissed me.”

“Ah, the overprotective brother, then.”

“She’s like my sister,” she explained desperately, wanting him to understand. “I never really had one. I had Tuney, of course, but she thought I was a ‘Freak’ and ‘Unnatural’ with my magic. I just—wanted to tell someone.”

He ran a hand over her loose bun and down her jaw. “I don’t mind, Stefica.” He kissed her forehead. “It is only that you are so young.” The Dark Lord’s blue eyes flickered to her lips and she breathed out when there was a knock on the door.

Without waiting, it opened and Lily looked over to see a bouquet of Tiger Lilies. “Spelled,” Narcissa informed them, “to only be held by human hands.”

Lily looked over at them as Narcissa put them on an end table and she went to pluck the card. I’m pranking you. Sirius. She laughed outright. When Narcissa looked at her, she explained, “Your cousin is amusing. He claims this is a prank.” Lily put the note back and resumed her seat. “Thank you, Narcissa.”

“Not at all. Forgive the intrusion, Dark Lord.” She curtsied.

The Dark Lord waited, his face inclined slightly toward the door before he looked at Lily again. “Heir Sirius, I presume? Or was it Lord Regulus?”

“Sirius,” she answered. “He called in a favor with Narcissa, which helped me get my black card. He and James Potter have become my closest friends throughout this—trial.” She smoothed out her black tunic. “I trust they are suitable? They are purebloods.”

“Potter is the son of world famous potioneers. He will always be accepted in polite society. Heir Sirius, I understand, does not follow his family’s inclinations, but he is to be one of the most preeminent men in wizerdom.”

“No,” she agreed, standing and moving away from him. “Sirius does not follow his family’s inclinations. Still, he did this for me and hasn’t abandoned me although I received a Black Card and now live with dark members of his family.”

“And he sends you flowers,” the Dark Lord concluded, thoughtful. “What aren’t you telling me?” He remained sitting in his chair, but Lily could feel his eyes on her and she tried not to tense.

She glanced down at her hands. “You have nothing to worry about.”

“Stefica! I am a man who lives in shadows. A powerful man, I grant you, but one whose face can never be seen in society. I cannot fight boys by escorting you to balls and staking a public claim on you. Do me the honor of telling me—”

His voice nearly sent a shiver of delight down her spine. It was so authoritative and yet gentle. “He suggested to Narcissa in his letter that I was the girl he might marry if—well—” She turned toward the Dark Lord “—and he told me that even though his best friend James Potter fancied me, he did as well and his family would no longer object to me because of my blood status and placement in society.”

“And he sends you flowers,” he murmured. “Who else has professed interest?”

“Severus Snape,” she shot out casually. “He doesn’t know who I am yet. I was just writing him to tell him to leave me alone. He may be my oldest friend, but the idea is ridiculous.”

The Dark Lord stood in one fluid movement. “Good.” He came up to her and gently cradled her head between his hands and dipped his face until they were only inches apart. “Sweet Stefica.” Then he was kissing her and she was humming in happiness against his lips as she reached up to grasp his wrists to anchor her. They parted all too soon, and she savored the moment, her eyes remaining closed. “Let me give you magic, Stefica Lillianne,” he whispered in her ear.

“When?” she murmured, swaying slightly at his heady scent, the cool smell of aftershave.

“This summer, perhaps, if you are ready. Next summer certainly. I am most eager to see your O.W.L. results.”

She reached up and stroked his cheek and his eyes fluttered shut, only for there to be a knock on the door, which then opened without a word. They were still in an intimate embrace when Lucius found them and she blushed as she stepped away. The Dark Lord’s hands dropped from her cheeks to her shoulders, halting her.

“Stefica,” Lucius greeted. “I realize this is a woman’s parlor, but if you would excuse us gentlemen. I think it might be prudent if you go and reread Spungen’s—the section on courting.”

Swallowing, Lily understood the message. She was to never be unchaperoned with a wizard and he was never permitted to kiss even her hand until they were engaged.

Without acknowledging the words, she glanced at the Dark Lord, whose blue gaze met hers, and then his thumbs stroked her shoulders through the thin material before letting her go. She moved toward the desk and picked up her note to Severus and left the room, closing the door behind her. 

She leaned up against the door and took a deep breath, realizing she could hear nothing that was going on. 

She supposed she had a letter to send. Grimacing, she left, wondering what was being said behind the door.

James Potter was the first to arrive the next day. “The nasty brute sent you another letter,” he checked as he sat down in The Leaky Cauldron, “after you made it perfectly clear—”

“Yes,” she agreed, slapping it down. “He accused me of dating you because we’ve been seen with Sirius in Diagon Alley by his little friends.”

He quickly picked up the letter and read it. “It’s always the three of us and we’re always in public. You have guardians who now screen who you see. I wouldn’t be surprised if Heiress Lucius stops this correspondence as soon as the announcement comes out tomorrow.”

“Oh, she will.” 

Lily turned around and saw that Sirius hadn’t come from the direction of the floo but through the Muggle door. She remembered from something Cousin Bellatrix had said that he lived in London. 

“She’ll start screening the mail. She won’t read it, but she’ll screen it so hangers on won’t take advantage.” He sat down elegantly. “Stefica, you look beautiful today.”

James stared at him.

“Did you like the lilies?” He was looking at her avidly, and James was clearly getting angry.

“Narcissa enjoyed them,” she quipped. “She brought them into one of the ladies’ parlor and arranged them to her liking. I was writing a letter at the time.” 

James hesitated for a moment. “So you are accepting tokens of affection?”

“I think,” she stated with hesitation, “I might be on probation. Lucius hasn’t said yet. Maybe the wizard who kissed me is on probation. I don’t really understand exactly what’s happening. Spungen’s really isn’t helping.” Lily looked between them warily.

Sirius was looking at her calmly, as if he expected her to get this sort of attention.

James, however, was clearly upset. “He didn’t—force you, did he?” he asked through clenched teeth.

She shook her head. “No. Nothing like that. He would have been castrated by now if that were the case, I’d imagine.—I’m sorry. I have no one to tell.”

“I’d rather you tell us, Lily-flower,” James said quickly, taking her hand. “I know the Marauders are unbreakable, but that doesn’t mean there isn’t room for a trio of the three of us.”

“Yes,” she agreed. “We did rather leave your friends out of it.”

“Had to,” Sirius explained. “First off, Wormtail is a pathetic drunk and Remus would never go for breaking the rules like that, even to help you. Then, with the whole plan, Peter’s a Muggleborn and Remus is a half-blood, so they were both disqualified.”

“So,” Lily licked her lips, “we’ve somehow become a trio of purebloods in Gryffindor?”

“Guess so!” Sirius replied enthusiastically. “How my mother would be so proud.” This last bit was said sarcastically and he rolled his eyes. “Whatever you do, if she invites you over, bring Cissy.”

James sniggered. “She’ll try to arrange a match—not that I imagine Sirius minds,” he added under his breath. “I remember one time she lectured me on how there were no eligible Black women who were available for her Heir. It was quite disturbing.”

“Poor you,” Lily commiserated. “I’d hate to live with that.”

Sirius only shrugged. Before she flooed away, after James had gone, he pressed the bud of a rose in her hand. 

“You need to tell James,” she told him sincerely. “Even if I’m not encouraging you: it’s going to ruin your friendship.”

Shrugging, Sirius looked away. “He already knows.”

“He’s guessing. Tell him, Sirius, or I will.” She pressed the flower back into his hand and flooed back to Malfoy Manor, taking a deep breath on the other side.

At dinner she wasn’t even paying attention. Narcissa always wore robes herself and Lucius was the height of male respectability, but he allowed Lily to wear pureblood black to meals as she was on holiday and it was only the family. Her skirt swishing around her knees, Lily walked in and kissed Lucius’s forehead. “I know the announcement is coming out tomorrow. Can James and Sirius come over for lunch or something over the weekend? I don’t know what we’ll do—I haven’t visited the abraxans. Perhaps we could ride them?” She picked up her napkin and at the silence she looked up to see both Lucius and Narcissa looking at her pointedly.

Lucius gestured to her plate. “Do you not like them, dearest? I believe someone has declared their intentions.”

Looking down, Lily saw the most intricate garland of flowers on her dinner plate, made of roses and iris. Carefully, she picked up the card, which simply read, LV.

“He—He wants—?” she hardly could believe it. “I shouldn’t want—” she frowned. “Why do I want?” Lily looked between Lucius and Narcissa in confusion.

Lucius was the one who stood, picked up the garland, and placed it on her head. “You want it because you feel that it is right, from what I understand. Ideology is not a factor, although I would hope that you would listen to our beliefs and why we cherish our way of life, Stefica.”

She took a deep breath and looked at her brother and his strange gray eyes. “What happens now?”

“Do you accept his courtship?”

After a pause, she nodded. 

“Then you are beloved,” Lucius said simply. “Congratulations, little sister.”

**The End**


End file.
